SM EFT effects in Vector-Boson Scattering at the LHC

Abstract

The assumption that the Standard Model is an Effective Field Theory (SM EFT) of a more fundamental theory at a higher, than electroweak, energy scale, implies a growth of cross-sections for electroweak Vector Boson Scattering (VBS) processes signalling the appearance of a resonance (or resonances) nearby that scale. In this article, we investigate in detail SM EFT effects from dimension-6 operators in VBS with like-sign-$W$ production in fully leptonic decay modes at the High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC). We find that these effects are important for a handful of operators, most notably for the operator composed of three $SU(2)$ field strength tensors responsible for strong transversely polarized vector boson interactions. Current global fits on Wilson-coefficients allow for a signal immediately permissive at the HL-LHC if not accessible at the current LHC-dataset.

Comments: minor changes; 26 pages, 12 figures; version accepted for publication in PRD